Four local teams battled it Saturday out to raise money for the Marion-Polk Food Share as Salem Men's Roller Derby hosted the third annual Capital City Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games theme correlates with the food drive aspect of the event, plus it allows for plenty of creativity from participants. "Derbiers" dressed up in "Hunger Games"-inspired outfits, with many people coloring their hair and beards like the extravagant characters in the films.

"Derby has become more serious and competitive and less about having fun," said Angie Cray, event coordinator. "I'm hoping to raise food and bring the lighthearted fun back to derby."

Cray said that she didn't realize that the derby would fall on the same weekend as the release of the latest "Hunger Games" film, "Mockingjay: Part 2," but that it was a "happy accident."

The teams themselves also followed the theme, naming themselves after different districts from the dystopian world: District 1, of Salem, which is the home to the "careers" in the film; District 4, of Portland, the fishing industry; District 7, of Portland, which are the lumberjacks; and District 13, of Salem, the hidden district that focused on nuclear science and technology. Each team had outfits corresponding to their respective district from the films, most notably the District 7 lumberjacks sporting flannels and fake beards.

The goal for the event was to collect 10 barrels of food, a barrel being about 3 feet in height and about 2 1/2 feet in diameter. As of 7 p.m., eight barrels had been filled, Cray said. Each team was required to collect a full barrel's worth of food, and spectators brought or purchased at least one canned food item in addition to their admission ticket to get into the event, held at the Mad House, on Madison St. NE.

Each team had allotted time to warm up, where they practiced tactical maneuvers and collided with each other roughly, since the sport itself involves a significant amount of physical contact.

"I love the camaraderie. Anybody can come out here and learn to skate," said Rick Shames, vice president of the Salem Men's Roller Derby Club, who wished to be called by his derby name.

Shames said all kinds of people participate in the sport.

"I enjoy the fact that there are different levels of athletic ability," he said.

Part of the derby allowed the crowd to get involved in the action via raffles, in which spectators could purchase raffle tickets and then pick an item from the "Hunger Menu," which would either help or hinder one of the teams. For example, one of the "prosperity" choices emptied a team's penalty box, and one of the "disparity" choices sent two players from the opposing team to the penalty box for 30 seconds.

In addition to the food collected, Cray said 30 percent of raffle proceeds would be donated, as well.